Cotton-picker.



H. S. HOPPER.

COTTON PICKER.

APPLIMTIQN FILED 00T.13, 1913.

1 1 1 1 ,797. l Patented Sept. 29, 1914.

W0? fgmawmwxwm j @wf s THE NORRIS FETjRS C0.. PHomUrHO.. WASHINGIDN, D. c5

To all whom 'it `concern A,Be it knownthat` I, HENRY S. Horrnn, a

citizen of `the United States of America,

:UNITED STATESl PATENT oFEIcE.

HENRY s. IIO'IPEE, '0E DETROIT, IvIIoI-IIGrAIv.l

. COTTONPIC'KER.

residing .at Detroityin the county of Wayne andk State of Michigan, havey invented certain new and usefulmprove'ments in Cot- 4ton-ltickers, of whichl the following is la the accompanying drawings.

Theinvention relates todevicesfor assistspecification, reference4 being hadtherein to ator, whenstandingin upright position, to lpickthe cotton from all portions of the plant. a 1 Y' `Itiis a `further object toA obtain a simple construction ot operating mechanism and one which is easily manipulated iny all positionsof adjustment.

2'is a vlongitudinal horizontal section thereof; Fig. 3 is an end elevation, partly in sec` tion; and Fig. 4 is a perspective view. Fig. 5 is a sectional view ofthe clutch mechanism taken4 on the line av-m of` Fig. 3.

In the usual operation of picking cottonv itis necessary -for the workman tov stoop to obtainv access to -manyof the bolls upon the:

plant, while other Vfbolls, canbe "reached only `in upright position. Aszavconsequence the fatigue ofthecperation 1s occasioned byl the c'on'stant'change in position required inparts of th'e' plan t." Thisconsists jessen-y 'tia'lly of an armor 'extendedmember preferably strapped or rvotherwise secured to the `the free hand of the operator.

`stead Vofthe act of removingfthe cotton With my improvedconstruction I have` provided 'a `hand-operated and directed instrument which may belmanipulated by the operator while standingin upright position and which is capableof `reaching all operators arm anddirectedthereby. This extended'arm'i's provided with a conduit through whichthe cotton is conveyed and a picker mechanism whichv is actuated by Further- Specication of Letters Patent. Patented Sept, 29, 1914, Application ledvctober 13, 1913. Serial 310.794.962.' l y y conduit C for` thefendless conveyer chain D. Thischain is formed with projecting picking `points E, which in the rotation of the chain and at the free lend of the arm may be engaged,.withthecotton boll, so `as to disengage Vthe .locks and carry the same into the conduit B. The chain travels upon sprockets or` pulleys -F and G `respectively at the outery and inner ends ofthe arm,

which are vso arranged that the inwardlymoving portionv of the chain travels through the conduit B and the outwardly-moving portion through the conduit'C.A At the inner end `of thearm is a discharge'. tube 4.H which leads tothe receptacle carried by the operator for receiving the cotton. Tofdisengage the cottonlocksffrom the picker points Er'oi'' the carrier, arotating'iwheel or dofer I- 1s arranged atfthe bendbetweenthe'con- 'A y y duit B and the discharge `tube H, this wheel Inv the drawingszFigure lis a longitudinal -verticalse'ction through ythe picker; Fig.

b eing` provided withy a series `of projecting tines J fordisengaging thecotton from the points. further'means of disengagement which also prevents the winding of the cotton upon the 'wheelsL vconsists of curved guide-bars K arranged between the tines J and acting as strippers.

A s it is necessary to bend the arm A at various anglesand .in various directions, a crank or. similar operating device could not be conveniently manipulated.y I have theref o're provided afi-flexible operating connection which 1s manipulated byv pulling.` This,

Aas shown, consists of two cords L and L ypassing over grooved pulleys M and M- Vrespectively and then connected with spring or other counter-pulling deviceN.` Bothh cords are pulledin. the same direction at `the same time.4 The direction `of movement ofonecord overonepulley and thefother under the otherpulley is such that the pulleys will behrotated in: opposite directions and will be reversed'upo'nfthe return ofthe Vcordsl by the spring N. The pulleys M M cords are returned by the force of the spring N, the movement of the shaft being always in the same direction.

The doii'er wheel I is directly mounted upon the shaft O and the chain D is driven through the medium of a belt-and-pulley thereby impart rotary movement to the shaft OL" This, in turn, will rotate the dofl'er wheel, and through themedium of the belta and-pulley connection Q will operate the ysprocket G and drive the chain D. The

movement of the chain D will cause the pickers to remove the cotton locks from the bolls and to carry them up through the con* duit. At the inner end of this conduitthe doifer wheel will operate to disengage the locksvfroin the picker teeth, permitting the latter to return with the portion of the chain passingv through the conduit C. The doffer wheel carries the cotton to the tube` H, through which it is discharged into the .bag or receptacle for receiving the same. Disengagement of the cottonflocks from the dotier tines is accomplished by the curved guide bars K, which are fashioned to gradually stri --the cotton from the tines. The outer jen softhese stripper bars are free, which permits any cotton wedging between the Vsame to be' pushed ofi' their ends.

Theparm Amay be attached through the medium` of a strap R to the upper part of the 'operators forearm and may also be grasped by the hand at Aa lower point.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A picker, comprising an extended arm attachable to and directable by one arm of the= operator, said extended yarm providing a conduit, an endless conveyer chain movable-inwardly through said conduit, picker points .carried by said chain, a revoluble actuating Copies af this patent may be obtained fox-.vecents each, .by addressing the A{Com1hissio'ner ofrLPate'nta i member for said chain, and a flexible connection engaging said actuating member to yoperate the same and adapted for actuation 4by the free hand of theoperator. 4 p 1 1 k2. A picker, comprislng an extendedarin, said extended arm` providing a conduit, an

endless conveyer chain passing through said Washington, D. C.

conduit, picker points von said conveyer chain, va revolubleshaft forfactuating said conveyer chain, a pulley, a flexible connection passing over said pulley, and a clutch between said pulley and revoluble shaft for actuating the same in one direction.

3. A picker, comprising an extended arm,

said extended armproviding a conduit, a"

conveyer chain extendingthrough said .con-

duit, picker peints on `said chain, al discharge Y tube at'the inner endl ofsaid conduit, a rev-.

oluble tined wheel for disengaging the cot` `tonlocks from said picker, mechanism for the' inner end of said conduit, a tined rotary member for disengaging the bolls from sa1d chain and delivering the same into sai'ddischarge tube, mechanism for operating said chainand tined member, a flexible actuating connection, a pairjof pulleys over which said flexible connection passes, a spring forrey turning the flexible connection, and clutches v for imparting driving movement from said pulleys to saidmechanism, respectively in the outward and return movement `of lsaid flexible connection.`

5. A picker,comprising an 'extended arm,

said extendedA armprc-viding a conduit, a conveyer cham passing through said conduit, a revoluble tined dol'er wheel for disengaging the cotton locks from the picker points, andstrip'pers between said tines for disengaging lhe cOttOnthererO'm, the ends of said strippers being free.

'85 duit, picker points upon said" chain, aV dis- 1 4,charge tube lat the upper end of said con- In testimony whereof I aliiX my signature" in presence of two witnesses.

.HENRY I-IOPPER.

Witnesses@v f vj WM. J. BnniNAr, .y JAMES PLBARRY, f 

